Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 383, Section 382: The Descent of the Gods

Beneath the distorted, crimson sky, the earth has been transformed into a pulsating mound of flesh and blood.

Amidst this deathly silence and despair of mourning, a massive, jet-black raven quietly emerged from the shadow of a huge, toppled obelisk in the distance.

Its feathers gleamed with a metallic sheen under the morbid light of the evil god, and its eyes, like the deepest night, coldly watched Karina and the others commit suicide.

He also gazed at the "Ian Crystal".

This clone carries his memories, his magic, and his indomitable will, perfectly suited to play the role of "Ian," to fight, to exhaust himself, to test the limits of the evil god, and even to "sacrifice" himself. Of course, Ian mostly gazes at the ultimate evil god, suspended in the sky, radiating the pressure of "perfection."

The evil god's perfect form, composed of countless tentacles and tumors, floated between heaven and earth.

It is "perfected," it is "God."

It exudes an aura of power that could end everything.

However, even this evil god who had "perfected" himself still did not notice the raven in the shadows. After he shed his embryonic form and the shell of truth, goodness and beauty, he also lost something, including the ability to sense the aura of "fate". This naturally made him unable to perceive the raven's presence.

Similarly, they are also unaware that the person they are constantly fighting against is actually just a clone created by Ian using shapeshifting magic. Well, it's quite normal for this to happen, even if we set aside the idea that they are trying to control their own destiny and become a new destiny.

Let's just talk about the purest aspect of perception. Ian was discovered by the evil god once before, so how could he possibly be discovered by the evil god a second time?
As a young wizard whose talent even Albus Dumbledore marveled at, Ian's learning and adaptability were exceptionally strong. He was naturally able to analyze situations where others discovered him and adjust his concealment methods accordingly. After all, Ian wasn't some NPC in a leveling-up game.

Adaptability and the ability to promptly identify and resolve problems are fundamental qualities of a truly outstanding wizard, and the same applies to handling any situation with caution.

Therefore.

From the moment the evil god was conceived, Ian had been silently concealing his true form, constantly using clones to probe the evil god's weaknesses. Hogwarts' tricks, in this ancient era with a vastly different understanding of magic, became an unknowable "secret."

No one knows, and no one can understand. How could Ian, that cunning student who was so engrossed in studying the Multiple Shadow Clone Charm, the Unseen Stretch Charm, and the Apparition combination in the Hogwarts library, be so foolish as to allow his true form to directly confront this ultimate being of this caliber, one that devours everything?

The evil god devoured only a "vessel" that carried Ian's will; what Karina and the others mourned was merely a magnificent "performance." The real Ian, his true form, at this moment, is like the "shadow" and "observer" symbolized by the raven, hidden in the cracks of reality.

With the calmest gaze, he observed the "perfected" form of the evil god, recording every detail, searching for any possible "error" behind the legendary "perfection." It's worth noting that Ian's attendance at Ravenclaw alone demonstrates his combination of wisdom and strength.

The crystallized "Ian" was indeed him, but not the complete him. The body was infused with enough magic and memories to be indistinguishable from the real thing, even perfectly replicating pain responses and fighting habits. However, a fake is still a fake; the enhancement that the body created by the transformation technique brought to the evil god was merely a ticking time bomb left by Ian.

Secretly spying and then plotting to catch the opponent off guard can also be seen as an application of military strategy. In fact, this method is very effective most of the time.

However, the evil god here does indeed have reason to be proud. Even with Ian's keen observation and wisdom, and by using his clones to comprehensively assess and explore the evil god, and even by leaving some backup plans on the evil god through his clones, Ian is still not confident that he can completely defeat his opponent.

“His ability is too unfair.” Raven tilted his head, making an extremely slight “click” sound, like metal scraping together, as if assessing the outcome of this farce. Ian Prince in his raven form stood silently on the broken stone pillar, his sharp bird eyes fixed on the transforming evil god in the distance.

Seth Appepp's form is still constantly changing.

Sometimes it swells into a mountain of flesh that blots out the sky, and sometimes it shrinks into an incredibly dense black crystal. Each transformation is accompanied by the wails of thousands upon thousands of souls.

Those lives that were devoured are becoming nourishment for the evolution of the evil god.

"Even my attacks are just nourishment."

Magic gleamed in Ian's raven eyes; through advanced perception spells, he could clearly see the essence of the evil god's power at work. This was not merely simple absorption—every attack that struck Set-Appep, no matter how powerful, would be analyzed, adapted to, and rendered ineffective in a very short time.

Yes.

This monster's core abilities go far beyond "devouring" and "assimilation".

Even more frightening are adaptation and immunity.

Any attack method, whether it's the legendary magic of Hogwarts or the divine echoes of ancient Egypt, once analyzed and absorbed by this evil god, will instantly undergo a targeted "evolution" in the living matter that constitutes its body, forming a perfect defense or absorption mechanism.

The wounds inflicted on it by the ultimate techniques "Starfall: Echoes of All Realms" and "Forbidden: Dimensional Collapse" unleashed by the clone at full power have now transformed into the most robust "memory" and "antibody" within its body. Next time, the same magic will only become nourishment for its power.

The cells of the evil god seem to possess unlimited learning capabilities, instantly understanding the principles of any magical or physical attack and evolving corresponding countermeasures.

That kind of ability alone is one thing.

Combined with its almost limitless "life force," seemingly drawn directly from the distorted origin of the universe, this evil god is virtually impossible to kill instantly, thus inherently invincible.

It is not a physical body, but the living, ever-evolving rules of the universe itself.

“This is much harder to deal with than Voldemort…” Ian’s consciousness trembled slightly. The Dark Lord, though powerful, at least followed basic magical rules. But this evil god before him was practically cheating—any attack would only have an effect on him once, and combined with his unreasonable vitality and adaptability, he was simply an unsolvable problem.

Moreover.

Voldemort relies on Horcruxes, and his weaknesses are clear; destroying the Horcruxes can weaken or even eliminate him.

This thing before us has no fixed "core" and no separable "soul weapon." Each of its "deaths" is merely the prelude to the next, more perfect "evolution."

The sacrifice of the clone not only failed to severely damage it, but instead allowed it to "perfect" its flaws and become stronger. To solve it once and for all, we must find an "ultimate magic" that can completely "pollute" its evolutionary mechanism or deny its existence logic at its root—a "rule erasure" technique that can simultaneously act on the physical, magical, spiritual, and even conceptual levels.

Because Ian's life level is lower than the other party's.

The power of paradox is difficult to truly exert its influence. He even worried that if the opponent was not eliminated in one go, he would adapt to the paradoxical divine authority, so he never dared to use it.

As for using magic.

This is within the known magical systems.

It's almost mythical.

As one of the most skilled spell-creating wizards in Hogwarts' history, he felt helpless for the first time in his life. Every tactic that took shape in his mind was instantly overturned by himself—conventional magic was ineffective, forbidden spells might backfire, and even time magic might not be effective against this being that had transcended the conventional timeline.

“There must be a way; wizards are omnipotent.” Ian’s thoughts raced like a galaxy, the Hogwarts library, the forbidden scrolls of Egypt, even the legends of other worlds in his memory… countless fragments of knowledge collided, yet he could not piece together the blueprint for that fatal blow. Time, at this moment, became the most luxurious thing.

at this time.

His attention was drawn to the commotion of the priests below.

The priestess Karina and her remaining followers were performing their final ritual. The faint divine power of the sun god Ra, gathered in their hands, flickered like a candle in the wind, threatening to go out under the crimson glow of the evil god. The light pointing to their hearts was their last remaining, resolute dignity after their faith had completely collapsed.

Karina had led everyone in completing preparations for the suicide ritual; sharp daggers gleamed coldly in the sickly sunlight. Ian's ravenous eyes narrowed slightly.

But he did not act immediately.

This is not only because he is still not sure.

Of course, lack of confidence was also a reason. Ian was not the type to sacrifice himself for others. He knew that if he rashly revealed himself and used his true form to launch any attack, it could immediately trigger the evil god's "adaptation" mechanism, exposing his last trump card to the light of day, and even putting his true form in danger.

In addition, and more importantly, he still needs to be observed.

He needed to observe the attitude of the ancient Egyptian gods in this apocalyptic moment! As a wizard from a thousand years in the future, he maintained a cautious curiosity about the gods of this era—were they real supernatural entities, or a cohesive force of some collective faith? Would they respond to prayers in the moments when believers needed them most?
The "fall" of the avatars and the collective suicide of the priests were the final straw that broke the camel's back of faith. If even the most loyal believers were driven to destruction in despair, and the gods they worshipped remained silent, then it proved that these gods had either completely perished or their power had long since been exhausted, and the so-called "divine power" was nothing more than an echo of history.

of course.

More importantly, Ian wanted to confirm whether the sun god Ra still possessed any remaining will. Based on what he had read in the ancient texts of Hogwarts, Ra should be one of the most powerful beings in the pantheon. If even when the most loyal priests faced mass suicide, Ra's final will was unwilling to manifest...

Therefore, this battle will likely require a completely different strategy.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock..." Time flowed by in the deathly silence. At Karina's fingertips, the faint golden light was just an inch from her heart. Her eyes were vacant, her lips moved silently, as if offering a final prayer. The priests around her were the same; the shadow of death loomed over the platform.

"Please, great Ra."

Karina's prayers were broken and desperate: "Lead us to the eternal shore."

Daggers were raised high, their cold light flashing. The other priests made the same move, their sharp blades pointed at their hearts. At this critical moment...

Ian also did not make a move.

but.

"boom--!!!"

A sudden change occurred!

The sky was suddenly torn apart.

It wasn't a physical tearing apart, but rather the opening of a certain dimension. The distorted sky was ripped open like a rag by an invisible hand, and the sky, twisted into a giant, morbid eyeball by the evil god, was like fragile glass. A pure, warm, and sacred beam of white light, like a divine sword that split the heavens and the earth, slashed down fiercely!
It precisely covered the entire high platform area where Karina was located!

From within the pillar of light, a figure slowly descended. She wore an elaborate and magnificent long dress, and a double crown symbolizing the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt, adorned with two towering ostrich feathers. Her face was a perfect blend of maternal love and divine majesty. She radiated a soft yet incredibly resilient green-gold light.

Wherever the light passed, the evil god's viscous, purplish-red radiance melted away like ice and snow.

Isis.

Isis was Osiris's wife and Horus's mother.

The deity finally took shape; she was one of the most worshipped goddesses in ancient Egypt, a goddess of motherhood and magic, renowned for her powerful magical abilities and her image as a protector.

"Your Majesty Isis"

Karina murmured, and the dagger in her hand clattered to the ground.

A goddess descended to earth.

She didn't say anything, but simply raised her hand gently, palm facing up.

A powerful, life-filled green light wave emanated from her, spreading out like a gentle tide and instantly engulfing the entire city that had been assimilated by the evil god!
I saw.

The expressions of pain on the faces of the civilians whose bodies were mutating, growing tumors and tentacles, instantly eased.

The writhing flesh on their bodies quickly calmed and receded, their skin returned to its normal human color, and the madness and emptiness in their eyes were replaced by bewilderment and the relief of surviving a catastrophe.

The blood and tears on the faces of the wizards who had gone mad from the corruption of their spirits and were about to commit suicide stopped, the bloodlust in their eyes faded, and the chaotic mental barriers were rebuilt and stabilized in the green light.

They collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, like drowning people regaining air. Though utterly weak, they had at least regained their human form, which could be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

The faint golden light at Karina's fingertips, on the verge of self-destruction, did not extinguish upon contact with Isis's green light. Instead, it flared up suddenly, like kindling being ignited! The light was no longer a desperate act of self-destruction, but rather filled with gratitude for being saved and the burning passion of rekindled faith! The divine power in her hands and that of all the priests was purified and revived under the blessing of Isis, the "Goddess of Life and Magic"!

“Hmm? This kind of divine authority.” A hint of surprise flashed in Ian’s raven eyes. He could sense the essence of this healing power—it wasn’t a simple restoration spell, but a kind of conceptual “reversal,” directly negating and eliminating the concept of “mutation” imposed by the evil god. This level of power far exceeded the scope of ordinary magic.

Indeed, she is quite powerful; divine magic is not without its merits. Keep in mind, this goddess can even resurrect gods, so reversing the influence of an evil god wouldn't be difficult for her.

Before Isis's healing light had completely dissipated,

Space distorted violently once again.

A dark rift opened up in the center of the plaza, from which icy waters of the River Styx surged forth. Accompanied by the sound of flowing water, a tall figure slowly rose from the rift.

His skin was bluish-black, he wore a white crown, and held a staff and flail—this was Osiris, the god of the underworld, second only to Ra, the sun god, as the greatest ruler of ancient Egypt.

(End of this chapter)